The scent of fresh sawdust hangs in the air. A construction crew is hard at work. They’re here for one 8-year-old girl. She has Wilm’s tumor, a rare kidney cancer. Every blow of a hammer – every stroke with a paint brush – is the crew’s chance to change her life … to make her smile again.
The foundation is ready. The frame goes up. Then siding, shingles, an octagon window, a vibrant coat of paint, a purple flower box. Inside, a spiral staircase, a loft, kid-sized furniture.
The clock ticks, every second counts. Just a few miles away, the World Wish Day® Parade rolls through Harmony, Maine. Caitlin watches her hometown pass from the seat of her horse-drawn carriage. She doesn’t know where the parade ends.
Then Caitlin sees her house … and her wish come true: her playhouse. It’s bright. It’s pink. It’s her quiet place to read. Just like the library she loves at school, but all her own.
Caitlin steps out of the carriage, spellbound by the sight of her wish – the porch, the peace signs, the slide. Make-A-Wish® volunteers welcome her for a first glimpse inside.
“My playhouse is very awesome,” Caitlin says. “I got more than I wished for.”
The carpenters and the painters hear Caitlin’s words. They see her joy. They’ll never forget it.